I get what you are saying but it also makes me think you havent spent much time in the woods. It takes a very different mindset being in the woods inhabited by bears with and without a firearm. They were never around our property but their population has grown a ton in recent years and we have a couple that hang out on our 300 acres in between when the steelhead are running. They’re cool as fuck and since they’ve been more prevalent the coyote population seems to be gone but when I come over the top of a ridge or up to a thicket, it’s fuckin terrifying not having a gun. I know black bears are basically giant cats that run first almost every time but when its cub season or territorial mating season its way more intimidating. Wouldn’t fucking shoot to hit one unless it was fuckin charging but having the ability to fire a couple rounds at the ground to spook a mother and cub away or a horny young male makes it way more comfortable maintaining tree stands, trails or just hiking around. Loud noise is the best defense and firing a gun is sooooo much louder than me yelling or banging branches on the ground lol.

Don’t get me wrong, guns are a very fun hobby and I don’t really buy too much into the defending against people defense for guns but living on 300 acres of woods which is surrounded by fucked if I know how many more acres of neighbor’s and state wooded property, having a fire arm makes it way more peaceful when you racing the sunset to get back to your 4wheeler or truck.